Retired staff of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) have expressed deep concern over the manner a former Acting Director-General of the Agency, Ambassador Mohammed Dauda, has gone to the public without due regard to in-service rules and regulations.
A statement issued under the aegis of Dolphin Retired Staff Association and signed by the Secretary, Augustine Onyeka, said Dauda’s action is “treason” going by the nature of the Service (NIA).
Dauda had alleged “attempts to cover up the crass ineptitude, nepotism, impunity, tyranny and administrative rascality and impunity, that is taking place at the nation’s apex Intelligence agency.”
But, the retired staff of NIA reminded Ambassador Dauda that his personal ambition to be Director-General should not supersede his professional calling and patriotism, warning him against further engaging in derogatory publications against the Agency and its leadership.
The statement reads in part: “The Dolphin Retired Staff Association is concerned by the way and manner one of National Intelligence Agency (NIA) retired Directors, who was briefly put in Acting appointment has gone to the public, seeking adjudication in staff matters strictly controlled by in-service rules and regulations to which he had sworn to upload, while joining the Service.
In all modern states, such a behavioural disposition is considered as “treason” due to the very nature of the Service, essentially a covert role in the conduct of relations among nations. Ambassador Mohammed Dauda has engaged himself in wild allegations which he knows very well the Service will not be able to present in the public domain.
“The Association to which retired staff of the NIA belong (according to international best practice) wants to remind Ambassador Dauda to note that the Service he claims to belong to and love so much is a disciplined one, whose guiding and directing principles, are according to international best practices and must be upheld in order to prevent indiscipline at the peril of national security.
“The Association, therefore, urges Ambassador Dauda to search his conscience and remember the Oath of Allegiance and Official Secret Act he has sworn to as it will be unprofessional of the Service to engage in fruitless polemics with him.
The retired directors lauded the media for their interest in the activities of NIA but urged them to always put national interest first before rushing to the press.
